Cate gets home to a wonderful sight. Ryan is standing at the kitchen table, chopping some tomatoes to add to the salad he's preparing. She stands just inside the room, watching for a few moments before Ryan catches her.

"Are you all right?" he asks, smiling over at her, continuing to chop the tomatoes.

"I could not be better. I was supposed to be making us something to eat though," she comments, joining him at the table.

"You are, I'm just getting you started. I could do with a glass of wine," he says, jerking his head towards the permanently full wine rack sitting on the kitchen counter. "So how did things go with Alice?"

"Very well actually. She's going to ask Math to move in with her," she says, pouring them a glass of wine each.

"Really? I didn't realise they were that serious."

"Neither did I, but apparently they are crazy about one another."

"What do you think he'll say?" asks Ryan, grabbing a lettuce and starts slicing.

"I'm not sure, but I have the feeling he'll say yes. They adore one another. It's so sweet," she says, grabbing a pack of chicken to start making the main part of the meal.

"That's sweet. I hope they can make it work."

Cate notices a slight change in her husband's demeanour. She has a very good idea of what has happened.

"Have you talked to Julia since you left the station?"

Ryan sighs heavily, silently answering the question.

"What did she say? Are her parents still driving her insane?"

"They have decided to retire to Florida, and they want Julia and Matthew to go with them."

Cate practically drops the chicken in her hands.

"What did Julia say to that?"

"She told her parents that she wasn't going. Aside from the fact that I am Matthew's Father, and I have a right to be in his life, she has a life of her own here in Portland."

"I'm sure they are ecstatic about that?"

"They've been trying to pressure her all day, saying that she should get away from the complications in her life, namely me, but they aren't getting anywhere. She has made up her mind, and that's the end of it. Once she makes a decision about something, it's done. No changing her mind. I should know," he answers quietly.

Cate watches her husband intently. She knows that he was heartbroken over Julia's refusal to marry him, but she had hoped he had finally come to terms with it. She shakes her head, refocusing on the chicken in her hands.

"I think we should have everyone over to dinner sometime soon. Maybe if they see that you are a decent man, with a fantastic wife, then they might let up on Julia."

There is silence for a few moments before Ryan comes up behind her, throwing his arms around her waist and squeezing tightly. "You're amazing, do you know that?" he says, kissing her on the neck.

"Oh I'm very aware of it, I just like to remind you every once in a while."

"Are you sure you want to have everyone over? You've never met her parents, and they aren't the nicest people in the world."

"Well we will just have to show them that the Cassidy/Thomas household is a fantastic place for their grandchild. You're already a step-father after all, so they should have more faith in you. We will charm the pants off them," she beams.

Lux and Baze drive over the Oregon border. He's excited to get back to his live in Portland, but he's not so sure that his daughter feels the same way. Things were difficult for her before they left, and now she's heading back to that.

"Are you all right? I know you'll be walking back into some difficulties."

"That's putting it nicely. I can't say I'm looking forward to seeing Jones. And I really don't want to go back to school again," she says sadly. She has loved being away. Not only has it granted her precious alone time with her Father, but it has also given her precious time away from her troubles.

"It'll be all right. Time always calms things down, so perhaps the situation will be a little easier between you and Jones?"

"I doubt it. He has made it pretty clear that he doesn't want anything to do with me. That's his choice, and I'll have to let him have his peace."

Lux turns to look out the window, giving her Father every indication that she wants to be alone with her thoughts. She will have to psych herself up to return to Portland.

Math opens the door to Alice's home with great difficulty. It's hard to do it with a massive, heavy box in his hands. Alice bounds up the hallway, grabbing the other side of the box, holding it steady as he closes the door.

"I didn't know you had so much stuff! How did you manage to fit all of this into your little bedroom at Baze's?" she asks.

"I spread my things around the loft," he smiles, remembering Baze and Jamie continually telling him to corral his things into one location. He will have to be a lot better behaved now that he is living with Alice.

He sets his boxes down outside their bedroom before heading back outside to grab his last case. When he re-enters the home, he can't help but grin at Alice as she tries to haul the box into the bedroom.

"Careful, you. I don't want you to hurt yourself," he says, putting the case down to kiss her.

"Are you still happy about moving in with me?" she asks nervously.

"Absolutely. I can't wait to be your roomie!" he beams.

They fall into one another's arms, happy to be at this stage in their relationship, and in their lives. Math never thought he would ever get to this level. Baze and Jamie have always been the ladies men in his group of friends. He was generally left in the background, watching his two friends meet woman after woman. Now, he was the one in a stable, long term relationship, and he couldn't be happier. He did hope, however, that both Baze and Jamie would one day soon find their own Alice.

"Come on, let's get your stuff unpacked. Then, I think we will deserve a large pizza and some wine," he says, beaming. He hasn't been able to stop smiling since Alice asked him to move in with her, and he didn't see that coming to an end anytime soon.